ASIAN HIGH FLIERS GET EASY ROUTE INTO THE UK
(24 Jun 2002)

Asian Doctors, Entrepreneurs, IT & Technology workers and other high fliers got some welcome news today as the UK Home Office published a new report on its work permit and visa schemes.

The new report entitled "Migration Policies towards highly skilled foreign workers" showed that the UK is a world leader in attracting skilled migrants and is also the fastest in Europe at processing work permit applications.

Also published today are figures which show that 338 high-fliers have been approved since the end of January to work in the UK under the Government's new Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.

Home Office Minister, Beverley Hughes said, "Our recent White Paper - 'Secure Borders, Safe Haven' - set out the Government's commitment to put in place a properly managed migration policy. By allowing people to come and work here legally in ways which boost our businesses we can help reduce illegal working, illegal immigration and abuse of the asylum system."

She added, "We are an open, trading nation - migrants contribute a great deal to our society and we are keen to encourage people to come and work here in ways which help our economy grow."

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme is a new route for particularly talented people to apply to work in the UK. If differs from the work permit scheme in that it does not require an employer to obtain a permit for the individual. Applicants are assessed on a points system on their educational qualifications, learning ability, work experience, past earnings, achievement in their chosen field and need to attain at least 75 points to qualify. The Programme was announced on 13 December 2001 and became operational on 28 January this year. As of 13 June 2002, the scheme had received 953 applications, of which 338 were successful.

Last November, UK Minister of State for e-commerce and competitiveness Douglas Alexander inaugurated the Bangalore IT.Com 2001 conference during which he ruled out visa restrictions on Indian tech workers following the September 11 attacks in the US. "Indian tech workers accounted for nearly 65 percent of visas issued by Britain last year", he said. Out of the 18,000 visas issued to technical workers, 11,000 had gone to the Indians last year, he added. Alexander also said Britain was one of the fastest growing e-commerce markets in Europe and Indian IT companies investing in UK would find it was a gateway to the entire European market. Overall 123,337 work permits were issued last year.

Qualified overseas doctors who wish to work as GP's in the UK have a prioritised applications process under the same scheme.

Other initiatives to attract highly skilled workers include the Innovators Scheme and the main work permit scheme, which has been overhauled by the Government to increase its speed and efficiency of operation. The Innovators scheme aims to attract to the UK outstanding overseas entrepreneurs whose business proposals will result in exceptional economic benefits for the UK. The Pliot scheme began on 4th September 2000 and runs until the same month this year. Out of 148 applicants, 123 have been granted visas under the Innovators scheme. Successful entrepreneurial applicants receive an 18-month visa which can be extended a further 48 months.

The Innovators route requires the applicant to start a business creating at least two full-time jobs within 12 months of establishment. The applicant must also maintain a 5% holding of the equity capital and must have funding for the first six months of trading. Applicants under the route must also be able to accommodate themselves and their dependants.

Ms Hughes added, "We need a range skills levels, of course, and the Government is working to open up managed migration routes right across the skills range. We have overhauled the work permit system, doubled the number of work permits issued and are consulting on bringing in more short-term foreign workers to meet recruitment difficulties in industries with seasonal labour demands." Consultation on expanding the Working Holidaymakers Scheme and the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme was announced on 29 May 2002.

The Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Bill carries forward the programme of radical reform set out in the recent White Paper, 'Secure Borders, Safe Haven'. It puts in place a credible end-to-end asylum system, tackles illegal working, puts in place new measures to further strengthen our border controls and overhauls how people obtain British citizenship to make it more celebratory and meaningful. The Bill receives its second reading in the House of Lords today.

Further Information

Further information on the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme is at:
http://www.workpermits.gov.uk
http://www.fco.gov.uk/ukvisas
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

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